Latest news with #IndianCoastguard
Euronews
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Convoy sets off for Gaza from Tunisia to protest Israeli blockade
A convoy of buses and private cars departed from Tunisia's capital on Monday headed to Gaza as part of efforts to spotlight Israel's blockade on humanitarian aid to the territory, as Israeli authorities stopped a high-profile flotilla from landing there. The overland effort, organised independently but moved up to coincide with the flotilla, is made up of activists, lawyers and medical professionals from North Africa. It plans to traverse Tunisia, Libya and Egypt before reaching Rafah, the border crossing with Egypt that has remained largely closed since Israel's military took control of the Gaza side in May 2024. The Tunisian civil society groups behind the convoy said their aim is to demand "the immediate lifting of the unjust siege on the strip." They asserted that Arab governments haven't pushed enough to end the 20-month war between Israel and Hamas. After an almost three-month blockade of Gaza aimed at pressuring Hamas, Israel started allowing in some basic aid last month. Experts have warned of famine in the territory of over 2 million people unless the blockade is lifted and Israel ends its military offensive. The convoy set off as the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an aid ship that set sail from Sicily earlier this month, was seized by Israeli forces in what activists said were international waters. Those aboard, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, were detained and will be deported home. The overland convoy drew widespread attention in Tunisia and Algeria, where it began on Sunday, with some people waving Palestinian flags and chanting in support of the people of Gaza. "This convoy speaks directly to our people in Gaza and says, 'You are not alone. We share your pain and suffering," Yahia Sarri, one of the convoy's Algerian organisers, wrote on social media. The North African activists do not expect their convoy to be allowed into Gaza. Regardless, it provides "a message of challenge and will," said Saher al-Masri, a Tunis-based Palestinian activist. Israel and Egypt have imposed varying degrees of blockade on Gaza since Hamas seized power from rival Palestinian forces in 2007. Israel says the blockade is needed to prevent Hamas from importing arms, while critics say it amounts to collective punishment of Gaza's population. The convoy plans to gather supporters in towns south of Tunis before crossing into Libya, where clashes between rival militias have turned deadlier in recent months. Organisers said they planned the land crossings with relevant authorities leading up to the convoy's departure. An explosion and subsequent fire were reported onboard a Singapore-flagged container ship off the coast of Kerala in southern India on Monday, a spokesperson for the Indian Coastguard said. Of the 22 crew members onboard the MV Wan Hai 503, 18 abandoned the vessel with assistance from the Indian Navy and coastguard while four are missing, Commandant Amit Uniyal said in a statement. One of the rescued crew members sustained serious injuries. Two of the four missing are nationals of Taiwan, one is from Indonesia and one from Myanmar, Uniyal said. The navy and coastguard have launched a search operation for the missing, aided by a Dornier aircraft. The navy uses Dornier aircraft primarily for maritime surveillance, search and rescue operations. A number of ships have also been sent to help put out the fire some 88 nautical miles (162 km) from the coast of Beypore in Kerala. "The vessel is presently adrift, and firefighting efforts have commenced to bring the situation under control," said Uniyal. "Saving lives of the crew in distress, firefighting and mitigating environment hazard remains the priority for coastguard." He said they were working to establish the details of the ship's cargo and any potential risks it could cause. The 271-metre vessel left the Sri Lankan port of Colombo on 7 June and was set to arrive in Mumbai on Monday. The coastguard received a distress alert from the ship Monday morning reporting an explosion and subsequent fire inside one of the containers onboard. The fire later spread to other containers. The coastguard has not yet given the cause of the explosion and fire. The vessel is managed by Singapore-based Wan Hai Lines, according to a statement from Singaporean authorities. Late last month, a Liberia-flagged container ship sailing between the Indian ports of Vizinjam and Kochi sank off Kerala. The state government issued a high alert in its coastal areas and asked fishermen not to venture near the site where the container ship, which carried hazardous cargo, had sunk.
Euronews
9 hours ago
- General
- Euronews
Fire breaks out on ship after explosion, Indian coastguard says
An explosion and subsequent fire were reported onboard a Singapore-flagged container ship off the coast of Kerala in southern India on Monday, a spokesperson for the Indian Coastguard said. Of the 22 crew members onboard the MV Wan Hai 503, 18 abandoned the vessel with assistance from the Indian Navy and coastguard while four are missing, Commandant Amit Uniyal said in a statement. One of the rescued crew members sustained serious injuries. Two of the four missing are nationals of Taiwan, one is from Indonesia and one from Myanmar, Uniyal said. The navy and coastguard have launched a search operation for the missing, aided by a Dornier aircraft. The navy uses Dornier aircraft primarily for maritime surveillance, search and rescue operations. A number of ships have also been sent to help put out the fire some 88 nautical miles (162 km) from the coast of Beypore in Kerala. "The vessel is presently adrift, and firefighting efforts have commenced to bring the situation under control," said Uniyal. "Saving lives of the crew in distress, firefighting and mitigating environment hazard remains the priority for coastguard." He said they were working to establish the details of the ship's cargo and any potential risks it could cause. The 271-metre vessel left the Sri Lankan port of Colombo on 7 June and was set to arrive in Mumbai on Monday. The coastguard received a distress alert from the ship Monday morning reporting an explosion and subsequent fire inside one of the containers onboard. The fire later spread to other containers. The coastguard has not yet given the cause of the explosion and fire. The vessel is managed by Singapore-based Wan Hai Lines, according to a statement from Singaporean authorities. Late last month, a Liberia-flagged container ship sailing between the Indian ports of Vizinjam and Kochi sank off Kerala. The state government issued a high alert in its coastal areas and asked fishermen not to venture near the site where the container ship, which carried hazardous cargo, had sunk. Ukraine and Russia have started a new prisoner of war exchange, following the agreement reached at the second round of direct talks in Istanbul last Monday. "Ukrainians are coming home from Russian captivity," President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement. "Today the exchange began and will continue in several stages over the coming days. Among those being returned now are wounded and severely wounded prisoners, as well as those under 25," Zelenskyy added. Russia's Defence Ministry confirmed the return of the first group of Russian POWs as well, without providing details on the swapped soldiers. Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War said that the first group of released prisoners includes personnel from Ukraine's navy, ground forces, air force, national guard, border guard service, territorial defence, and special transport service. Among those returned on Monday are the defenders of Mariupol, who have spent over three years in Russian captivity. "Most of those returned were captured in the first days of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022," Ukraine's ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said. "We warmly welcome all who can now breathe the air of their homeland after years of captivity," Lubinets added. "Our team shares in the joy of the families who received that precious and long-awaited call." Kyiv didn't disclose the total number of POWs returned on Monday, citing security reasons. A few days ago, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine wanted to bring home 500 prisoners in the POW swap on Saturday and Sunday, which ultimately did not take place. Kyiv and Moscow agreed that the exchange would include young soldiers under 25 years old, the severely wounded and the seriously ill. The sides have also agreed to exchange the bodies of the fallen servicepeople. On Sunday, Russia accused Ukraine of postponing the swap and failing to respect the agreement. Moscow said that the trains carrying the bodies of Ukrainian soldiers were due to depart towards the Ukrainian border, accusing Kyiv of "not collecting them". Russia's Lieutenant General Aleksandr Zorin told the state-run TASS news agency the transfer of 'more than 6,000 (Ukrainian) bodies' had been agreed during the talks in Turkey. Kyiv categorically denied the accusations. Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukrainian Defenсe Intelligence, said that Ukraine was strictly adhering to the agreements reached at the second round of talks in Istanbul. Budanov stated that the start of "repatriation measures" was scheduled to take place next week, which he claims the Russian side informed him of a few days ago. In his Sunday address, Zelenskyy accused Russia of "playing a dirty political and information game" on the agreed POW exchange. Kyiv says it has brought back over 5,000 prisoners of war in a series of exchanges since March. Ukraine continues to offer Russia an "all-for-all" swap — a proposal Moscow has so far rejected.
Express Tribune
04-04-2025
- Express Tribune
Mykhailo Polyakov, man who attempted contact with ancient Sentinel tribe
The Sentinelese have been seen standing guard when people approach the island previously. (Supplied: Christian Caron) Listen to article A 24-year-old American tourist was arrested in India after illegally landing on North Sentinel Island, a protected territory home to one of the last uncontacted tribes on Earth. Authorities said Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov crossed the sea using a modified inflatable boat, left offerings of Diet Coke and a coconut, filmed his brief visit, and returned to the mainland, where he was apprehended. North Sentinel Island is part of India's Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. It has been off-limits since 1956 due to the extreme isolation of its Indigenous inhabitants, the Sentinelese. Who are the sentinelese? The Sentinelese are considered one of the world's most isolated Indigenous tribes. Anthropologists believe their ancestors may have lived on the island for over 50,000 years, with no significant contact with the outside world. They live as hunter-gatherers, relying on the island's dense forests and shallow coastal waters. They construct simple dwellings and use bows, arrows, and spears. The tribe communicates in a language that remains entirely undocumented and untranslatable. Estimates put the population at between 50 and 150, though the Indian government has never conducted a census, respecting the tribe's desire for isolation. The Sentinelese have lived on their island for thousands of years and have no contact with the outside world. (Supplied: Survival International) Why is the island off-limits? In the wake of the 2004 tsunami this member of the Sentinelese tribe was photographed firing arrows at a helicopter. (Supplied: Indian Coastguard/Survival International) In 1956, India declared North Sentinel Island a tribal reserve and prohibited anyone from approaching within five kilometres. The law was introduced to protect the tribe from diseases, to which they have no immunity, and to preserve their culture and safety. To this day, Indian naval patrols strictly monitor the exclusion zone. Violations can result in fines, imprisonment, or both. Photography and video recordings of the tribe are also illegal under India's Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Act. The risk of a modern virus, even a common flu, wiping out the Sentinelese remains high, according to health experts. How Polyakov planned his trip? Police say Polyakov arrived in Port Blair on March 26 and had been planning his visit in secret. He reportedly customised a motor onto an inflatable boat and set off alone before sunrise on March 29. GPS was used to navigate the 25-mile stretch of ocean separating the mainland from the island. Once offshore, he spent nearly an hour blowing a whistle to attract attention from the shore. Seeing no movement, he stepped briefly onto the beach, dropped off a can of Diet Coke and a coconut, collected sand samples, and returned to sea. He was arrested after fishermen near Kurma Dera beach spotted his return and alerted authorities. His GoPro footage confirmed his landing. How India responds to intrusions? A picture taken on an Indian government trip to the island. (Supplied: Andaman and Nicobar Police) Indian officials have arrested and charged Polyakov under laws that protect Indigenous communities. A case has been registered for breaching tribal protections. Authorities say he is also being investigated for possible attempts to contact other tribes during previous visits to the region. 'He may have made contact with other vulnerable groups on Baratang Island earlier this year,' said an officer involved in the case. 'We are questioning hotel staff and reviewing footage from his camera.' The American embassy has been informed. Contact with the tribe has rarely ended well Historically, outsiders approaching the island have been met with hostility. In 2006, two fishermen were killed after their boat drifted into the island's waters. In 2018, missionary John Allen Chau was shot with arrows and left on the beach after illegally attempting to convert the Sentinelese to Christianity. Earlier attempts at contact date back to the British colonial period, with several ending in illness or violence. A British official in the 1880s kidnapped six Sentinelese, including children, to Port Blair. The two adults died, and the children were returned with gifts, further alienating the tribe. Government efforts to establish friendly contact in the 1970s and 1980s were met with resistance. After a brief window of apparent tolerance in the early 1990s, the Indian government ceased visits altogether by 1996. Experts say isolation has protected them Survival International, a global Indigenous rights group, condemned Polyakov's actions. 'Even one outsider's contact can prove fatal to a tribe like the Sentinelese,' said spokesperson Jonathan Mazower. 'They've made it clear time and again: they want to be left alone.' He added that the tribe's ability to survive for millennia without outside interference is a testament to their self-sufficiency. 'The photos and footage we've seen over the years show they're thriving. They are not a people who need saving — they need protecting,' Mazower said.
